Fire blanket



Oct. 11,' 1955 T. H. DlAcos 2,720,269

FIRE BLANKET Filed April 24, 1953 1N V EN TOR.

f/Zeadarezrr m@ BY M United States Patent O FIRE BLANKET Theodore HarryDiacos, Chicago, Ill.

Application April 24, 1953, Serial No. 351,007

3 Claims. (Cl. 169-1) My present invention relates generally to fireextinguishing devices and more particularly to a new and 1mprovedconstruction for a blanket for smothering res.

As is well known, the householder is continuously confronted with thedangers of small fires and the problem of providing adequate facilitiesto combat such. The utilization of portable chemical tire extinguishersis adequate in most instances, but somewhat expensive for the aver agehousehold owner and limited in its availability since adequateprotection requires the installation of a plurality of extinguishersthroughout the household. In addition to chemical extinguishers, a wellknown re opponent water is available to the house owner, but because ofthe tendency of this medium to damage furnishings of a home, its use isdesirably avoided. Further, the resort to water for the purpose ofextinguishing fires within a home necessarily requires bulky conduit,such as hose or the like, for conveying the water from its supply sourceto the point of fire. Thus, it will be recognized that the use of Wateris limited in a normal household due of its attendant complexities ofemployment.

Recognizing such expense and difficulties confronting the home owner inproviding a fire extinguishing system, I have set about to devise a newand improved means having advantage from the standpoint of economy,utility and availability, whereby the householder may provide himselfwith adequate protection against small tires within the home andtherearound at a minimum cost and with a marked reduction `in requiredstorage space for the equipment.

To this end I have invented a new and improved blanket arranged anddesigned for casting or throwing in a convenient manner over acombusting area. My blanket operates by the simple expedient ofsmothering the iire, or that is, preventing the replenishing of oxygensupply to the combustible materials. The eiiiciency of such smotheringtechnique is Well recognized and it Will suice herein to state that inpractice a blanket constructed and employed according to the concepts ofmy present invention is eiiicient and adequate for the purpose for whichit is designed.

Briey, the blanket of my invention comprises a section ofnon-combustible material, preferably of a fabric somewhat light innature, for which purpose I prefer the modern ber glass materials. Meansare employed with the blanket for Weighting the peripheral portionsthereof thus assisting in its casting onto a flaming area and insuringthat the same will hug the flaming area tightly to provide a lire wallor dome over the flames. To assure etticient operation of the blanketand to prevent the same from billowing or capturing a large pocket ofair around the flaming materials, I also utilized a plurality ofsuitably reinforced openings through which air may escape as the blanketis setting or falling over the flaming area. Such features andadvantages of operation as mentioned hereabove will be recognized fromthe description of a preferred form of my invention presentedhereinafter.

The main object of my present invention is to provide face a new,improved, simplified and economical iire extinguishing apparatus capableof convenient storage and employment.

Another object of my present invention is to provide a simple,dependable and easily utilized tire extinguishing apparatus, formed as ablanket, that will operate to extinguish a naming area without causingdamage to other classes of goods or property surrounding such area ofcombustion.

A still further object of my present invention is to provide a new andimproved fire blanket employing modern noncombustible materials of afabric nature and having means combined therewith to insure eiiicientoperation and assist the user in its employment.

The above and further objects, features and advantages of my presentcontribution to the art will be recognized by those familiar with thesame as the description of one preferred form thereof unfoldshereinafter and with reference to the illustration of such form as foundin the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings:

Figure l is a perspective view illustrating the general features of myinvention;

Figure 2 is an enlarged cross sectional. view taken substantially alongline 2-2 of Figure l;

Figure 3 is an enlarged cross Sectional view, similar to Figure 2, takensubstantially along line 3-3 of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is an enlarged partial plan view of my new fire blanket showingin detail a modified construction for the hem portion of my improvedfire blanket;

Figure 5 is an enlarged cross sectional View taken substantially alongline 5-S of Figure 4; and

Figure 6 is still another cross sectional View taken substantially alongline 6 6 of Figure 5.

In Figure 1 I have illustrated one form in which the features of myblanket may appear. It will be recognized and understood, that while theblanket 10 therein is shown rectangular in form the same may take anypolygonal or curvilinear configuration such as hexagonal or circularetc. to encompass a blanket area having reasonable effectiveness inblanketing a flaming area or the like.

Turning now in greater detail to the specific features of the blanket 10illustrated in Figures 1 3 of the drawings, it will be appreciated andunderstood that the main body portion 11 thereof comprises a section oftire proof material, for Which purpose l prefer to employ the new socalled glass fabrics or iiber glass. Such body portion may constitute asingle ply or multiple plies of the iire proof material, depending onthe weight, thickness, etc. desired. Other materials such as asbestossheeting are suitable for this purpose also, but asbestos in particularis not of my preference due to its weight, fracturing qualities andgeneral fragileness. Be that as it may, for present purposes and tothose who wish to practice my invention I strongly urge the employmentof the modern liber glass fabrics.

The construction of the blanket illustrated in the drawings is carriedforth simply by providing a bounding or bordering edge 12 thereofcomprising a hem or folded portion of the blankets main body portion l1.Within the fold of such a hem portion 12 I prefer to insert a pluralityof grommets 13 (see Figure 3) carrying therewith weighted washers 14, orthe like and reinforcing washers 15. Such grommets are preferably spaceduniformly along the border of the hem portion 12, say at intervals ofevery 3 to 6 inches and provide additional utility and convenience tothe user by permitting an opening for the hanging of such a blanket on ahook; such blankets for maximum protection preferably being located atnumerous locations throughout the household and stored in easilyaccessible areas. Other means than the grommets members 13 may beemployed for Weighting the border or boundary portion 12 of the blanket,such as short lengths of metal bars, or better still, articulated shot"materials, of the type familiarly employed in the design andconstruction of the lower hems of draperies and the like. The lattermodification will be recognized from Figures 4 and 5 of the drawingswherein a length of the shot material 16 having spaced shot members 17is shown in its mounted relation beneath the hem fold prtion 12.Additionally metal link chain or the like (not shown) can be used eitherinside or outside of the hem fold 12. In such event metal staples or pintype fasteners can be resorted to for anchoring the chain.

Other means and materials will also come to mind which can be resortedto for weighting the periphery of my new fire blanket. Be that as itmay, it is understood that ecient and successful operation of a blanketembodying the characteristicsy and features of my invention mustnecessarily employ some weighted means adjacent to the border thereoffor assisting in the casting of the blanket onto a aming area and toeffect a convenient and efficient blanketing or entrapment of theflames.

In addition to the grommet members 13, or like weighted means around theborder of the blanket, I also utilize a plurality of openings 19 withinthe borders of the blanket, which are bounded by grommets 20 and washers21. Such internally disposed openings provide easy passageway throughthe blanket for the quick escape of air entrapped beneath the blanketwhen the same is cast over a flaming area, The exact spacing, size andarrangement of such internal air escape openings 19 may be left to thediscretion of the designer, but again it is essential for the completeand efficient operation of my device that such openings be providedthereby to prevent billowing of the blanket over the flaming area andthe entrapement therebeneath of a large supply of air upon which theflaming materials can feed. This concept of providing means for theescapement of air through the blanket in a quick and efficient manneralso does much toward the presen vation of the blankets life and itsendurance in the pres ence of flame since its smothering effect becomesimmediate.

Such grommets as described, both in the blankets bor'- der, as at 13 andwithin the blankets border, as at 20 find additional utility andfunction in assisting the user in the handling of the blanket and themoving thereof over the flaming area. This relation will be understoodby regarding that hook means of any suitable nature may be provided forengaging the blanket via such grommet openings, thus giving the operatora safe and convenient means for either casting the blanket out onto theflaming area or moving the same in the flame area with complete personalsafety to augment the operating effectiveness of my new blanket.

While the operation and function of the blanket as I have. describedhereinabove and shown in the accompanying drawings is easily understood,briefly it may be stated that the same operates on the principle cuttingoff the sup ply of air or oxygen to the flaming materials. Such functionis carried forth by its blanketing effect; the materials of the blanketbeing reproof and dense in their fabrication thereby to eliminatesubstantially the resupply of air to the fire. The effectiveness of thisprinciple in re fighting is Well recognized and actual practice with mydevice has proven its success, utility and efficiency in the eliminationand extinguishing of fires. Preferably a household owner should beprovided with a plurality of blankets embodying the features ashereinabove described with such being located conveniently for readyaccessibility in approximate likely points of fire hazard.

It thus will be recognized and understood that while I have herein shownand described the features of my present invention as related to onespecific form which it may take, numerous modifications, changes andsubstitutions of equivalents may be resorted to therein without departing from its spirit and scope. As a result I do not intend and wish tobe limited to the specific features of my new and improved lire blanketas herein described and shown except as may appear in the followingappended claims.

I claim:

l. A re blanket of the class described, comprising, a section offireproof fabric material, means weighting the peripheral boundariesthereof, and plural spaced means mounted within the boundaries of suchmaterial section and having small openings extending through thematerial section for providing ready passage of air therethrough.

2. A fire blanket of the class described, comprising, a section ofincombustible fibre glass material, a folded border portion surroundingthe periphery of such section, a plurality of Weighted grommets disposedat periodic intervals along the entire length of such border portion,and a plurality of spaced reinforcing members mounted inwardly of saidborder portion and having small openings for the free passage of airthrough such material thereby to permit regulated escape of air throughsuch blanket; said weighted grommets adjacent the boundary of saidblanket assisting the operator in casting the same over an area of flameand such reinforcing members disposed inwardly of said border portionproviding for the escape of air through said blanket thereby to preventits billowmg.

3. A fire blanket of the class described, comprising, a section offlexible reproof fabric defining the area of the blanket, a plurality ofweights fastened to and along the entire periphery of said fabric andserving to form a weighted border therefor, and a plurality of grommetmembers secured in spaced relation to the fabric and locatedintermediate said border, each of said grommets having a central openingextending through said fabric and providing a comparatively smallpassageway for the escape of air through said blanket whereby when theblanket is cast on a re the same is permitted to settle rapidly withoutexcessive billowing due to the presence of the spaced openings providedby said grommets and the weighted border thereon.

Bishop May 21, 1912 Lawson Mar. 20, 1934 mit

